About Claims XX - 方法專利

美國最高法院曾經定義「方法」是在特定物質上經某種模式的處理而產生特定結果，它是運作於物質上的動作、一連串的行為而產生轉變至不同的狀態或是事情
The Supreme Court of U.S. has defined a process as "a mode of treatment of certain materials to produce a given result. It is an act, or a series of acts, performed upon subject matter to be transformed and reduced to a different state or thing."

方法專利的權利範圍特色有：

1. 方法專利涵蓋轉換、改變或是運作於特定物體上的操作程序，方法專利並不會限制於特定結構，並可應用於新的產品或是硬體，基本上有較廣的範圍
2. 方法專利所包括的流程能夠轉換、改變或是運作於一個部件（workpiece）上
3. 方法專利有一系列步驟（A series of steps）
4. 方法專利可以沒有裝置的特徵、沒有物品製造的特徵，或是沒有任何元件的特性
5. 描述方法專利的步驟通常由「ing」形式的動詞開始，但不總是這樣
   
6. 方法專利的步驟是運作於一個裝置上，而此裝置可能運作於特定部件上
   
7. 方法專利也可直接運作於部件上
   
8. 方法專利各步驟中，應從說明書中找出適當的動詞
9. 方法專利很少不是陳述運作於特定東西的動作
   
10. 如果可能，可以指出執行各步驟的功能或是目的
    
11. 對於有關產品權利範圍，如果必要的陳述已經以各步驟表達出來，無須再描述其功效
    
12. 方法專利中，如果不想要指出所使用的結構或是部件，可使用「means for」（或step for）
    

這個例子是人用手握住高爾夫球竿的揮擊動作的專利！


可參考：http://enpan.blogspot.com/2008/07/about-claims-iii.html
參考資料：Landis on Mechanics Patent Claim Drafting
Ron

取得美國申請日的基本要求

取得美國專利申請日的基本要求：（37 CFR 1.53）

1. 符合美國專利法第112條規定的說明書
2. 至少一個權利範圍
3. 圖示
4. 申請日後不得新增新事物（new matter）
5. 日後於規定時間內（一般為兩個月內，可延長）應補充其他必要文件（如宣誓書）與費用
   

[原文]
(b) Application filing requirements -- Nonprovisional application. The filing date of an application for patent filed under this section, except for a provisional application under paragraph (c) of this section or a continued prosecution application under paragraph (d) of this section, is the date on which a specification as prescribed by 35 U.S.C. 112 containing a description pursuant to § 1.71 and at least one claim pursuant to § 1.75, and any drawing required by § 1.81(a) are filed in the Patent and Trademark Office. No new matter may be introduced into an application after its filing date. A continuing application, which may be a continuation, divisional, or continuation-in-part application, may be filed under the conditions specified in 35 U.S.C. 120, 121 or 365(c) and § 1.78(a).

(1) A continuation or divisional application that names as inventors the same or fewer than all of the inventors named in the prior application may be filed under this paragraph or paragraph (d) of this section.
(2) A continuation-in-part application (which may disclose and claim subject matter not disclosed in the prior application) or a continuation or divisional application naming an inventor not named in the prior application must be filed under this paragraph.

取得美國商標申請日的基本要求：（37 CFR 2.21）

1. 申請人名稱
2. 聯絡名稱與地址
3. 清楚的圖示與標示
4. 列舉物品與服務
5. 費用

若無符合上述要求，將無法取得申請日，並退件！

[原文]
§2.21 Requirements for receiving a filing date.

(a)The Office will grant a filing date to an application under section 1 or section 44 of the Act that contains all of the following:

(1)The name of the applicant;
(2)A name and address for correspondence;
(3)A clear drawing of the mark;
(4)A listing of the goods or services; and
(5)The filing fee for at least one class of goods or services, required by § 2.6.

(b) If the applicant does not submit all the elements required in paragraph (a) of this section, the Office may return the papers with an explanation of why the filing date was denied.

(c) The applicant may correct and resubmit the application papers. If the resubmitted papers and fee meet all the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, the Office will grant a filing date as of the date the Office receives the corrected papers.

Ron

用Email寄送官函

美國專利局提出e-Office Action的方案（http://www.uspto.gov/eoa/）
讓申請人可以透過private PAIR申請以電子郵件接收Office Action，取代傳統郵寄的方式，申請人亦能透過private PAIR下載所有的來往文件。申請人必須先取得用戶代碼、透過公證人...，用以申請private PAIR，可參考：http://www.patent-tutorial.net/test-site/node/1127

使用e-Office Action，申請人可以即時快速地收到USPTO的通知，包括各種跟期限有關的提醒信，大概更重要的是，減少紙張使用！

Ron

韓國最終核駁後修正限制放寬

之前，當韓國專利局發出最終核駁之後的補正程序，申請人能夠提出的修正限制十分嚴格！修正可能會產生實質的改變，除非提出訴願，並伴隨著修正

（2009年7月1日起）新修法之後，最終核駁之後的補正則放寬許多，可以自由限縮範圍，限制則有：

1. 為了明確、新增與刪除範圍的限縮修正
2. 校正錯誤
3. 明確模糊的描述
4. 刪除認為是新增的事物（new matter）

資料參考：Kim, Hong & Assoicates
Ron

韓國專利「分割」申請案改變

以往，修法前，申請人僅能於特定期限內提出「分割申請案（divisional application）」，如收到先前核駁（preliminary rejection）後，或是提出訴願後30日內，所以不太可能在核駁後、訴願前提出分割案。
下圖顯示可提出分割案的時間有，對先前核駁回應前可提出分割案；提出訴願後，並到先前再審查之間可提出分割案；訴願後維持原判（再審核駁）之後，亦可提出分割案：


修法之後，也就是2009年7月1日之後，在收到核駁決定，並請求再審查前，可提出分割案；另外，收到「再審查」（新法）最終核駁後，提出訴願前，可提出分割案！

在新修法中，有個特色，也就是收到核駁決定，或是最終核駁後，如果有任何可核准的範圍，可針對可核准範圍提出分割案，以利獲准專利，其餘被核駁範圍則可繼續答辯或修正。

資料參考：Kim, Hong & Assoicates
Ron
（以上有些名詞，應注意意義，可能定義有所不同）

韓國專利審查新增「再審」程序

可參考：http://enpan.blogspot.com/2009/01/200971.html
韓國於2009年7月1日起實施「再審（Re-Examination）」制度，也就是有別於以往在核駁決定（decision of rejection）後，申請人僅能選擇訴願（Appeal）產生較高費用的問題，韓國專利局引入「再審」制度，讓申請人可以提出再審查，可伴隨答辯、修改說明書/權利範圍與圖式。申請人在收到核駁決定後，可選擇訴願，或是此再審制度。

由下圖舊制可知，核駁決定後（核駁決定前會至少有一次先前審查（preliminary rejection）），30日內可提出訴願，提出訴願後30日內可提出修正，並進行先前再審（prior re-examination），之後再進入再審，由資深審查官執行


下圖為新制，收到核駁決定後，可於30日內提出再審查（或是直接提出訴願），之後若維持原判，則再進入訴願


新制中，再審的基本費（規費，不含權利項數）用約100000韓元，而訴願基本費用約需150000韓元，新制中應可省點錢！

資料參考：Kim, Hong & Assoicates
Ron

美國專利法第121條（分割案）

§121. Divisional applications

If two or more independent and distinct inventions are claimed in one application, the Director may require the application to be restricted to one of the inventions. If the other invention is made the subject of a divisional application which complies with the requirements of section 120 of this title [35 USC 120] it shall be entitled to the benefit of the filing date of the original application. A patent issuing on an application with respect to which a requirement for restriction under this section has been made, or on an application filed as a result of such a requirement, shall not be used as a reference either in the Patent and Trademark Office or in the courts against a divisional application or against the original application or any patent issued on either of them, if the divisional application is filed before the issuance of the patent on the other application. If a divisional application is directed solely to subject matter described and claimed in the original application as filed, the Director may dispense with signing and execution by the inventor. The validity of a patent shall not be questioned for failure of the Director to require the application to be restricted to one invention.

美國專利法第121條規範了分割申請案
因為在一個專利申請案中只能保護一個發明，若同時載有兩個或以上獨立或可區隔的發明，則會被要求分割處理，比如發出Restriction/Elections，要求申請人限制（restriction）保護範圍於其中之一發明。
而其他發明則可以分割案申請案處理，並應符合美國專利法第120條中「先前申請案與後續案」的規定，包括說明書揭露應符合112規定、若先前申請案未被專利、拋棄或是程序終結，則有前案申請日的好處等。
經過分割案處理的申請案並不能互相引用為核駁引證案。
另外，經要求分割時，不能質疑審查委員可能錯誤判斷限制（restriction）的要求。

Sec. 120. - Benefit of earlier filing date in the United States
An application for patent for an invention disclosed in the manner provided by the first paragraph of section 112 of this title in an application previously filed in the United States, or as provided by section 363 of this title, which is filed by an inventor or inventors named in the previously filed application shall have the same effect, as to such invention, as though filed on the date of the prior application, if filed before the patenting or abandonment of or termination of proceedings on the first application or on an application similarly entitled to the benefit of the filing date of the first application and if it contains or is amended to contain a specific reference to the earlier filed application. No application shall be entitled to the benefit of an earlier filed application under this section unless an amendment containing the specific reference to the earlier filed application is submitted at such time during the pendency of the application as required by the Director. The Director may consider the failure to submit such an amendment within that time period as a waiver of any benefit under this section. The Director may establish procedures, including the payment of a surcharge, to accept an unintentionally delayed submission of an amendment under this section

Ron